Traveler mechanism



oct. 2o, 1936. B.

4 TRAV H. FOSTER 2,057,716

ELER MECHANISM Filed Aug. 7, 1934 iil INVENTOR ATTORN Y Patented @et l210, 1936 'spaventa mcnmnsn Boutwell H. Foster, Maplewood, N. J., assignor, by mesne assignments, to United States Rubber l Company, New York, N. Y., a corporation of New Jersey Application August 7, 1934, Serial No. 738,800

6 Claims. (Cl. 11d-59) This invention relates to an improvementl in spinning, twisting or covering machineso the ring type, and more particularly to an improvement in traveler mechanisms therefor.

In present day spinning, twisting and covering machines of the ring type, a common form of traveler mechanism comprises av ring mounted on the ring rail, the upper edge of the ring being provided with inwardly and outwardly projecting anges to act as retaining means for the traveler. The traveler commonly used is or substantially C shape and-is made oi lne spring wire or metal strip. In use, the free ends of this traveler are sprung over the flanges of the ring l5 so as to loosely engage the ring beneath its flanges, and the thread or yarn passes down through the traveler and thence onto the bobbin disposed within the ring. As the bobbin rotates it exerts a pull on the thread which causes th traveler to be dragged around-the ring.

This form of traveler is open to a number of objections, among which are the following. The traveler wears out -with undesirable rapidity, which wear is hastened by increased friction '-5 caused by centrifugal action. Also dueto the manner in which it is dragged along by the thread or yarn, itA does not move around the ring in a vertical position but is tilted, and this tilting not only causes a binding edect and increases the wear on the traveler, but it also makes the traveler chatter, thus preventing the yarn from running with the desired smoothness. Also, with this type of traveler, the tension on the thread or yarn as wound Vis not of the desired uniformity, because when the bobbin is empty, the direction of the thread leaving the traveler is more at right angles to the path of the traveler and therefore at this time theiriction between the thread and traveler is at amaximum and hence also the tension. However, as the bobbin iills up the direction of the yarn leaving the traveler approaches more nearly the line of movement of the traveler, with a consequent decrease in friction and less tension on the thread. Further, by reason of the friction at the traveler, small projecting portions of the fibers of the yarn or thread are scraped od, causing an accumulation of lint on the traveler and adjacent parts of the machine, and where the fibers in spinning or the yarns. in twisting are wet, this scraping oi or lintingis greater because ofthe tendency of the wet fibers to cling.

An object of the present invention is to provide an lmprovedorm of traveler having longer life, which enables the yarn to run more smoothly and with a more uniform tension, and which substantially reduces the amount of lint or accumulation of fiber on the machine parts.

description and drawing, in which latter- Other objects will appear from the detailed Figurel 1 is a plan view of the traveler mechanism; f

Figure 2 is a vertical section through the mechanism on the line 2--2 of Fig. 1; n.

Figure 3 is a plan of the traveler per se; and 5 Figure 4 is a vertical section showing a slight modification.

Referring to the drawing, the numeral I designates generally the ring of the traveler mechanism, which comprises an outer ring member 2 Al0 which may be secured in any desired manner to the usual ring rail; as by providing a flange 3 which may be screwed to the ring rail f3. The top surface of the outer ring member may be provided with an oil groove 5 for a purpose to be later l5 described. Frictionally fitted in the outer ring member 2 is an inner ring'member t at the upper end of .which is a. flange l which overhangs and is spaced from the outer ring member 2, the two ring members cooperating to provide a groove or 2 r raceway 8, and in the form illustrated the desired height/of raceway may be obtained by providing a small shoulder 9 at a desired height on the inner ring member. the engagement of which with the top of the outer ring member 2' limits l25 the downward movement of the inner ring member li. The inner and outer ring members may be positively secured together, if desired, and `in fact any equivalent construction of ring providing the desired raceway may-be employed. 30

One form of the traveler per se is illustrated in plan in Fig. 3 and is preferably formed of an annulus or ring Iii of ilne wire or narrow thin strip metal, in order that the weight of the traveler may be kept at a minimum. Attached to 35 the annulus lo is a support il which is most clearly shown in Fig. 2 and which may be made of wire similar to the annulus it. This support extends outwardly from the raceway and then upwardly and inwardly over the ange l to a 410 point within the circumference of ring Ill, as most clearly shown in Fig. 2, and at its upper free end there is mounted a small grooved roller i2 which forms a guide for the thread or yarn and which may be made of aluminum or other d5 light material, in order to reduce the eii'ect of centrifugal force. Also in order to compensate for the weight of the roller and its support, a counter-poise and bearing member i5 is mounted on the annulus IG at a point about dlametrically opposite the roller. .This counter-poise and bearing member can be of any suitable shape and material, and can conveniently be made from a small' piece of small-metal tubing which is slid over the wire composing the annulus I il before the ends of the wire have been united, and then permanently securedin position as by lorazing or' soldering. 01'- it may be made by rolling a small piece of sheet metal around the wire and securmg it in place. The member n, as before stated, a

l plied as new equipment on a machine, vand in tions as a bearing member to maintain the annulus III out of contact with the walls 'of the raceway' and thereby reduceffriction. If desired, and preferably, additional smaller bearing members I4 may be disposed around the annulus it, for instance at'pointsv spaced 90 apart.

The construction above described may be sup- Fig. 4 there is shown a slight modification capable of application to existing machines having the usual form of ring. In Fig. 4 the reference numeral i6 indicates the usual ringwhich in the present modification becomes the outer ring member. An inner ring member I'I is provided which is similar in its general construction to the ring member 6 and is provided with a shoulder I8 adaptedto bear on the outer ring I6 and definitely limit the size of the raceway for the traveler. An oil groove I9 may also be provided in the upper surface of the outer ring member I6.

In operation the thread or yarn isled drown under the grooved roller I2 of the Itraveler and thence onto the rotating bobbin I where it is wound up. It has been found that in use there is no tendency of the thread or yarn to escape from roller. I2 under starting, stopping, and varied speed conditions. By the provision of the above described traveler mechanism, the undue friction, centrifugal action, u'neven running and uneven tension inherent in the described former type of traveler are substantially obviated. The increasedweight caused byl the roller I2 would tend to increase centrifugal action and friction, but this is compensated for by the counter-poise I3 located diametrically opposite to the roller.

Also, the members I3 and I4 provide bearings which prevent contact of the annulus IIl with lio dragging, 'or chattering, of the old C-'shape'dv traveler is entirely obviated, with a consequent greatly improved smoothness in the running of the yarn. Since the small grooved roller I2 acts as the thread guide, the tension of the yarn Awhen wound up is much more uniform because by reason of the rolling action, friction between the thread 'and its guide is substantially eliminated and hence the tension does not vary materially whether the bobbin is full or empty.v Also, by reason of the reduction of the friction by the use of the roller I2, the linting of the thread is greatly reduced, and particularly when, as before stated, the'fibers in spinning or yarns in twisting are wet. By extendingA inwardly the support II of roller I2, the leverage exerted by the thread on the ring I0 is reduced, and hence the tendency of the ring I 0 to tilt is lessened.

The invention is generally applicable to machines of the ring type, whether used for spinping, twisting, or for covering cores such as elastic cores with' a fibrous wrapping.

It is obvious that m'odications can be made in the invention, and it is not desired to limit the same otherwise than is required by the prior art.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim and desire to protect by Letters Patent is:-

l. A travelerv -mechanism for spinning, twisting or covering machines comprising a ring having an external raceway, a traveler ring loosely disposed and rotatable in said raceway. a support carried by said lastnamed ring and extending upwardly and inwardly thereof, a thread-guide mounted on said support and comprising a small grooved roller, and a counterpoise and bearing member carried by said traveler ring at a point diametrically opposite said support.

2. A traveler mechanism for spinning. twisting,r

or covering machines comprising a ring having an external raceway, a traveler ring loosely disposed and rotatable in said raceway,- a support carried by said traveler ring and extending upwardly and inwardly thereof. aroller thread guide carried -by the free end of said support, and a plurality of bea-ring members carried by said traveler ring at spaced intervals thereon.

3'. A traveler mechanism for spinning, twisting or covering machines comprising an outer lring l member, an inner ring member fitting therein and having at its top a flange overhanging and spaced above said outer ring member and forming therewith a raceway, a -wire traveler ring loosely dishaving one end secured to said traveler ring and its opposite end extending above and inwardly of said flange, a small grooved roller thread guide carried by said 4opposite end of said support, and.

vposed and rotatable in said raceway, a support y raceway, means whereby Vsaid raceway may be lubricated,'a tenuous traveler ring loosely disposedand rotatable in said raceway, a 'support lsecured at one end to said traveler ring and cai'- rying at its opposite end a `small roller` thread guide, said roller being disposed above said flange and within the circumference of the traveler ring, and a plurality of bearing members disposed at intervals on said traveler ring and maintaining it out of contact with the walls of Said raceway.

5. A traveler mechanism for spinning, twisting or covering machines comprising an outer ring member, an inner ring member fitting therein and having at` itsk top a flange overhanging and spaced above said outer ringmember and forming therewith a raceway, means wherebysaid raceway may be lubricated, a tenuous traveler ringloosely disposed and rotatable in said raceway, a support secured at one end to said traveler ring and carrying at its opposite end a small roller thread guide, ,said roller being disposed above said flange and within the circumference of the traveler ring, and a plurality ofbearing members vdisposed at intervals on said traveler ring and maintaining it out of contact with the walls of said raceway, one of said bearing members being disposed diametrically opposite said roller guide and forming a counterpolse therefor.

6. A traveler mechanism for spinning, twisting or covering machines comprising a ring having an external raceway, a traveler ring loosely disposed and rotated in said raceway, a support carried by said traveler ring and extending upwardly and inwardly thereof, a. thread guide carried by the free end of said support. and a plurality of bearing members carried by said traveler 'ring at spaced intervals thereon.

f `Borrrwnm. n.' msm. 

